A development application to build a liquor store near Crescent Beach is receiving mixed opinions from the community.
The City of Surrey is reviewing an application to rezone the land – located at 12823 Crescent Rd. – from neighbourhood commercial to a comprehensive development zone.
An online petition against the project was started two weeks ago by Rebecca Coulthard and has received 94 signatures.
The petition says residents are concerned that “more readily available, accessible alcohol could result in increased impaired driving, public disturbances, vandalism, crime, violence, etc., particularly during certain times of the year such as holidays, high school graduation and the area’s very busy summer season.”
There are more than 30 comments opposed to the project.
One commenter, Barb Forrest, said the community needs to encourage visitors to come and enjoy, preserve the park. She suggests the liquor store would encourage “drunken, screaming beach parties with broken bottles, cigarette butts, needles, condoms and the rest of it including the drinking and driving and date-rape incidents.”
The petition was shared on the Ocean Park Community Facebook page, where it attracted more than a dozen comments, most of which were in support of the project.
“I think it would be a great service for the neighbourhood who lives here year round (not just summertime visitors), and will only improve the success of the other local businesses in that complex,” Megan-Jane Good commented.
“Good grief,” writes Lesley Owen.
“Elitist not in my backyard mentality. Are Crescent Beach and Ocean Park alcohol free zones now? Do you honestly think for (one) second that having a liquor store will suddenly mean you have a problem with drinking that didn’t previously exist?
City officials did not provide details on the progress of the application by Peace Arch News’ press deadline Thursday.